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8 cats · measured dimensions

ASCII cats to copy

For a one-line cat, copy =^.^=. For ears and whiskers, choose a multiline template and keep its spaces. All eight cats in this collection use ASCII characters only.

8 designs available

Tiny face

ASCII
=^.^=

5 columns × 1 lines

Five characters for a short message.

TXT file

Curious cat

ASCII
 /\_/\
( o.o )
 > ^ <

7 columns × 3 lines

Three lines with ears and whiskers.

TXT file

Sleeping cat

ASCII
 /\_/\
( -.- )
 (___)z

7 columns × 3 lines

A quiet, compact version that is easy to copy.

TXT file

Sitting cat

ASCII
 /\_/\
( o.o )
 /   \
(_____)~

8 columns × 4 lines

A small body with a short tail.

TXT file

Cat in a box

ASCII
 /\_/\
( o.o )
+--U-U--+
|       |
+-------+

9 columns × 5 lines

A closed box with two paws on the edge.

TXT file

Sideways cat

ASCII
 /\_/\
( o.o )__
 /       `.
(_(__(_)-'

11 columns × 4 lines

An elongated silhouette in four lines.

TXT file

Two cats

ASCII
 /\_/\   /\_/\
( o.o ) ( o.o )
 > ^ <   > ^ <

15 columns × 3 lines

Two faces with a space between them.

TXT file

Cat with a long tail

ASCII
 /\_/\
( o.o )   _
 /   \___/ )
(_____)---'

12 columns × 4 lines

A raised tail for a wider silhouette.

TXT file

From a tiny face to a cat in a box

TemplateDimensionsWhy choose it
Tiny face5 columns × 1 lineEasy to add to a sentence.
Curious cat7 columns × 3 linesEars and whiskers without a large drawing.
Cat in a box9 columns × 5 linesA visible frame to check after pasting.
Two cats15 columns × 3 linesA wider composition that stays short.

The width includes the spaces before the ears. It is the maximum number of characters in a line, not a pixel measurement. For a narrow screen, start with the curious cat.

Two pastes worth checking

 /\_/\
( o.o )
 > ^ <
Curious cat — 7 columns × 3 lines. The ears start after one space. The face and whisker lines have different widths: do not centre them separately.
 /\_/\
( o.o )
+--U-U--+
|       |
+-------+
Cat in a box — 9 columns × 5 lines. The border is 9 columns wide. All box lines keep the same width; if the right edge moves, check the font or spaces.

To change the expression, replace both o characters in the face with -. This preserves the character count. Still check the appearance after pasting.

Why a cat sometimes loses its alignment

A multiline cat is a small grid: visible characters and spaces set the positions. A proportional font changes the grid’s spacing; removed spaces move the ears and whiskers.

For GitHub, the official documentation describes fenced code blocks. Our ASCII guide for README files shows the steps. A working copy button does not mean every editor will preserve the layout: always preview the result.

A face such as (=^･ω･^=) contains non-ASCII characters. Its appearance depends partly on the available fonts, as explained in the Unicode Consortium FAQ. This collection deliberately stays within ASCII; other styles appear in the symbols and emoticons collection.

A simple method for your messages

  1. Choose a template that fits the available width.
  2. Copy all its lines at once.
  3. Use a monospace area and keep the line breaks.
  4. Check the ears, right edge and line count in the preview.

For chat messages, follow the Discord guide. To transform your own cat photo, use the image-to-ASCII converter: a close crop and a simple background are useful starting points to try.

Small character-based cat faces belong to a long tradition of shared drawings. The variations here are practical examples; no exclusive historical origin is claimed for them.

Common questions

Can I paste a cat without a code block?

The single-line face works well for this. Multiline drawings have a better chance of keeping their shape in an area that preserves spaces.

How do I place a cat beside my name?

The easiest option is to put your name above or below the drawing. For a side-by-side layout, use a fixed-width font and add the same indentation to every line.

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